Mathaf and Doha Institute for graduate studies continues visual arts studies third annual conference

DOHA — Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, in collaboration with the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, is to host the second part of the Visual Arts Studies Third Annual Conference 2020-2021, from 25 to 27 April under the theme The Future Museum in the Future City.  The conference includes several workshops constituting an open platform for discussing potential scenarios that museums may face in the near future. The first part of the conference, held on 14 December, 2020, examined the current intersections of the health crisis, and its impact on both the museum and the city. It also featured a discussion about the methods used by both the museum and the city to narrate these transformations.

The virtual conference’s sessions bring together artists, researchers, museum practitioners, and curators from around the world, who present future scenarios open to multiple possibilities, by stimulating critical thinking about what may arise in the aftermath of the pandemic.

According to the conceptual framework of the conference, "There are turning points in history that we understand in retrospect, in a deferred insight. The current crisis, the pandemic, seems to act differently, for it contains an acute awareness that it is a major disjuncture between two eras, two regimes of human existence. Inherent to this tragic experience of a ‘major break’ is the orientation towards the future, loosely defined. The cultural fields of production are doubly bounded in this tragic experience. Of the different cultural fields at the center of these processes [i.e. telling the story of this transition], are the city and the museum.”

In this context, Dr. Ismail Nashef, associate professor in the Sociology and Anthropology Master’s Program, Doha Institute, said, "This pandemic and its repercussions on human life is now being addressed on several levels: the medical, the economic, the social, and other levels.

“What distinguishes addressing this pandemic at the artistic level is that it examines potential future outlooks, which the political and social authorities have not yet considered. When it comes to Corona specifically, the treatment is conducted at the conjunction between the socio-material environment, the museum, and the city, and the possibilities of reconnecting them again." 

Abdellah Karroum, Director of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, said: "In light of the current pandemic, this year’s conference takes place under exceptional circumstances. The virtual gathering also coincides with Mathaf’s 10th anniversary -- another reason for us to accelerate the digital evolution of the museum, making all our offerings accessible to a global audience. Carefully selected debates and topics to be explored during the conference are representative of the continuous research and pertinent dialogue championed at both Mathaf and Doha Institute. The joint conference is a great opportunity to address the cultural landscape in times of crises and how scientific knowledge and art intersect to create the museum experience."

The conference program consists of five varied sessions, held over a period of three days. Participants in the first session provide a critical reading of the urban forces active in shaping the present and future of the plagued city. Meanwhile, the second session will be dedicated to a critical review of the history of the modern museum in light of the current transformations. In the third session, researchers try to foresee the future possible relations of the museum and the city starting from the current moment, while in the fourth session, the discussion revolves around the possibilities of visualising the new biopolitical regime, and the ways of resisting it. In the fifth and final session, several topics are highlighted, the most important of which are: The Crisis of Art Schools; The Future Museum in the Future City: a Posthumanist Outlook; and The Role of the Corona Pandemic in Urging Artists to Engage in New Forms of Unresolved Social Issues.

-Ends-

About Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

Home to a permanent collection that offers a uniquely comprehensive overview of modern and contemporary art from North Africa and the Middle East, Mathaf (“museum” in Arabic) also performs an important role as a centre for dialogue and scholarship and a resource for fostering creativity. The initial Mathaf was initiated by H.E. Sheikh Hassan bin Mohammed bin Ali Al Thani in Madinat Khalifa, and officially manged under Qatar Foundation in 1995.  Established in the current location in Education City in 2010, by Qatar Museums in partnership with Qatar Foundation (QF), the museum is hosted in a former school building that has been partially transformed by French architect Jean-François Bodin with the aim of displaying its art collection and making it available to the public within a broad educational and cultural approach. In addition, Mathaf is using the former Gymnasium of the school as its Performance Space for exhibition and learning activities for students. An initial group of works, assembled by its founder H.E. Sheikh Hassan bin Mohammed bin Ali Al Thani, was donated to the public institution. Sheikh Hassan began his collection in the 1980s, starting with the acquisition of works by Qatari artists and then broadening its focus to include works by 20th century artists throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and the Arab Diaspora, as well as objects that inspired many Arab modern artists, such as pre-Islamic works from ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. Abdellah Karroum has served as the Artistic Director of Mathaf since 2013, focusing on curatorial development of the collection, and giving a new orientation to research on art histories in the region, making Mathaf an institution that represents art histories and artists from this large geography, as well as supporting artists to make commissioned artworks in each exhibition.

Arab Museum of Modern Art is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Over the past 10 years, Mathaf has firmly established itself as a meeting point for art practitioners, academics and scholars from across the region, who are key contributors to the contemporary art landscape.

In looking ahead to the next decade, Mathaf will continue to serve as a dynamic platform for artists, facilitating the creation and exploration of contemporary works that that presents and examines their society and culture while further expanding its global reach through the large-scale digitisation of the museum, providing experience and knowledge of the works of Mathaf collection through the texts of the Mathaf Encyclopedia specialised in art history, criticism and thought.

About Qatar Museums

Qatar Museums (QM), the nation’s preeminent institution for art and culture, provides authentic and inspiring cultural experiences through a growing network of museums, heritage sites, festivals, public art installations, and programmes. QM preserves and expands the nation’s cultural offerings, sharing art and culture from Qatar, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) region with the world and enriching the lives of citizens, residents, and visitors.

Under the patronage of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and led by its Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, QM has made Qatar a vibrant centre for the arts, culture, and education in the Middle East and beyond. QM is integral to the goal of developing an innovative, diverse, and progressive nation, bringing people together to ignite new thinking, spark critical cultural conversations, and amplify the voices of Qatar’s people. Since its founding in 2005, QM has overseen the development of the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) and MIA Park, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of Qatar (NMOQ), QM Gallery Al Riwaq, QM Gallery Katara, and the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival. Future projects include the soon to open 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum and the Qatar Children’s Museum.

Through its Department of Archaeology, QM spearheads several initiatives to preserve and restore Qatar’s historical sites and buildings. QM also initiates and supports projects—such as the Fire Station: Artist in Residence and the creative hub for innovation, fashion and design, M7—that nurture artistic talent and create opportunities to build a strong and sustainable cultural infrastructure.

© Press Release 2021